Steam-governor



No. 6|9,606. Patented Feb. I4, I899.

L PARKINSON STEAM GOVEBNDB. (Application filed Feb. 3, 1897) (No Model.)

IN VENJOR .dtt0rney.-"

WITJZZSSES. 6/ W I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LLEWELLYN PARKINSON, OF EATON, TENNESSEE.

STEAM-GOVERNOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,606, dated February 14, 1899. Application filed February 3, 1897. Serial No. 621,780. (No model.)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in steam-governors; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out particularly in the claim.

The object of the invention is to provide a governor to regulate the supply of live steam to be admitted to the steam-chest of an engine accordingly as said steam may be required to drive the engine without waste and to maintain a uniform speed, which speed may previously be regulated by means in connection with said governor, all the parts being few and simple inconstruction and designed to operate with the least amount of friction, which object is attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a steam-governor made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through Fig. 1,the parts being in their normal or closed positions; and Fig. 3 is an inverted transverse section of the valve-chamber, showing the steam-space and valve-case therein, the valve in said case, and manner of attaching said valve to its stem, also the means employed to prevent the valve from turning or twisting within its case.

Referring to the numerals of reference, 1 designates a valve-chamber which is hollow and cylindrical in form and having an opening through its top and bottom sides. Said valve-chamber is adapted to be bolted or otherwise secured, with suitable packing thereunder, upon the steam-chest of an engine.

2 indicates a valve-case which is placed centrally within the valve-chamber and may be rigidly secured therein in any suitable manner, as by threading its lower end-and screwing it into a threaded aperture in the bottom of said chamber, so that the interior of said case will stand in line with the openings through said chamber, the arrangement being such that the upper end of said case will stand flush with the upper side or face of the chamber, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. This valve-case is a multiported cylinder, its inner face being accurately bored and dressed. The ports in said valve-case consist of horizontal longitudinal slots of equal size and placed equidistant apart, the ends of said slots terminating in a vertical line with each other. (See Fig. 1.)

3 represents a valve which, like its case 2, is cylindrical in form and has its outer surface accurately turned so as to snugly fit and move vertically Within the case 2. The ports in said valve are of the same size and placed the same distance apart as those in its case.

4 represents a cross-head which is formed integral with or secured to the upper end of the valve-case 3 and extends centrally thereacross.

5 indicates a plate which is bolted upon the upper end of the valve-chamber and forms a capping therefor. Formed integral with said plate and rising therefrom is an arm 6, and7 represents a sleeve which projects horizontally from said arm.

8 represents a mandrel which is fittedto be revolved within said sleeve 7 ,and formed integral with the outer end of said mandrel is the hub 9' of the beltpulley 9. Formed through the longitudinal center of said mandrel and hub is a circular opening, through which passes a spindle 10.

11 indicates a post which is screwed into a threaded aperture in the upper face of plate 5 on the opposite side thereof from arm 6, and

pivoted in the upper end of said post is an elbowcrank 12, said elbow-crank having threaded connections 12 and 12", similar in construction, pivoted one in each of its free ends. The rear end of spindle 10is threaded and screwed into a tapped aperture in the connection 12. g

13 represents a valve-rod which is provided with threads at each end thereof, the upper end of said rod being screwed into a tapped opening in the connection 12', and the lower end of said rod, extending through a suitable stuffing-box 14:, is screwed into a threaded aperture in the center of the cross-head 4, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

15 15 indicate ears formed or secured upon the outer side of the pulley 9, and pivoted between said ears are trunnions of the bellcrank levers 16. Two of the arms of said levers 16 are threaded and the other two are provided with bearing-heads 16.

The forward end of the spindle 10 is reduced in diameter, forming a shoulder upon said spindle, as shown at 10, and mounted upon said reduced portion is a disk 17, said disk being held in place against said shoulderby means of a suitable nut. Secured upon the threaded arms of the bell-crank levers 16 are gravity-balls 18.

To normally hold the gravity-balls inward or near the center of rotation of the pulley 9, I surround the rear portion of the spindle 10 with a coiled spring 19, interposed between the back of the upright arm 6 and the threaded collar 20, said collar being threaded and screwed upon said spindle and held in place and prevented from turning independent of said spindle 10 by means of a suitable set or look nut 20', the tension of said spring being sufficient to overcome the weight of the balls 18 and hold them in the position represented in Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to prevent the mandrel 8 from being forced into sleeve 7 sufficiently to cause undue friction when turning, I form a bear-; ing-cone upon the inner extremity thereof,

and between said cone and the rear wall of the opening in the sleeve 7 I place suitable. bearing-balls 21, the arrangement being clearly shown in Fig. 2. 4

It will be understood that the ports in the valve and valve-case are so arranged that portions of solid or uncut wall will extend throughout their length from their upper to their lower edges, as clearly shown at 25 in Figs. 1 and 3, and in order to hold the verti-j cally-movable valve 3 in such position that its portions of solid wall shall stand opposite. the portions of solid wall in the valve-case I form a vertical channel 22 in one of the Walls of the valve-case 2 and enter a screw 22' into a tapped opening in one of the walls; of the valve 3, so that the head of said screw shall be snugly received in said channel 22 and be permitted to be moved vertically therein; It will be seen upon reference to Fig. 2 that the normal position of the valve and valvecase is such that all of the ports (except the last or lowest ones) in said valve will be closed, as they stand opposite the rings of which the valve-case is composed. The lowest port in the valve-case is so positioned that when the a steam-generator by a suitable steam-pipe 24, it is admitted to the steam-chest through the lower ports in the valve and valve-case, which register sufficiently to allow enough steam to enter the cylinder to act upon its piston and to start the engine. As the inertia of the engine is overcome the same amount of steam required to start it will drive it at considerable speed. As the speed of the engine is increased the natural centrifugal force in the revolving gravity-balls 18 will overcome the tension of spring 19 and cause said balls to be diverted or to fly away from each other, and as they are thrown into a more horizontal position it will be seen that by reason of the rigid connection between said balls and the bearing-heads 16' of the bell-crank levers 16 said heads will be forced outward or to the left, (looking at Figs. 1 and 2,) which draws lengthwise upon spindle 10 and rocks the elbow-lever forward, at the same time pressing downward upon the valve-stem 13 and lowering the valve within said case, so as to open or cause all of the ports in the valve and valve-case to register, when more steam will be admitted to the cylinder.

In case the speed of the engine is very high when the ports are fully opened the gravityballs will continue to be thrown into a larger circle, which continues to draw upon the spindle 10 and to lower the valve, and as said valve is lowered it will be readily understood that the ports will begin to be closed, provided the load upon the engine is not suificient to hold it when the ports are full open.

It will be understood that in case the belt which connects the pulley 9 to the main shaft of the engine should break or become loosened or other injury happen as the speed of the gradually bring them to their normal position and close all of the ports except the last or lower ones, which will only admit a small portion of steam, consequently bringing the speed of the engine under full control by causing it to run at a speed thatwould do no harm.

If a considerable amount of steam is required to start the engine, the lower ports in the valve may be regulated with respect to the lower ports in the valve-case by raising said valve, which is accomplished through the turning of the threaded valve-rod, and it will be seen that the tension of spring 19 may be increased by screwing collar 20 in the direction of the arm 6 or the tension of said spring decreased bymoving said collar in the opposite direction, which adjustment may take place while the engine is running. It will also be understood that steam has a very free passage through the ports in the valve and valve-case of this improved governor, and on account of their size and number the governor is rendered very sensitive to any increase or decrease in the speed at which the engine is running.

Having thus fully set forth my invention,

I gravity-balls 18 subsides the spring 19 will what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a steam-governor, the combination of the ported valve-chamber, said chamber adapted to be mounted upon the steam-chest of an engine, the vertical valve-case located centrally within said valve-chamber, the valve adapted to be moved within said valve-case,said valvecase and valve consisting of rings being joined and held in position by ribs or integral portions, the cross-head extending across the upper end of the valve, the plate extending over the upper end of the valve-chamber, the arm rising from said plate, the hollow sleeve projecting horizontally from said arm, the mandrel adapted to rotate within said sleeve, the bearing-balls interposed between the rear end of said mandrel and the inner end of said sleeve, the hub of a belt-pulley secured to, or formed integral with, said mandrel, the ears upon the outer side of said belt-pulley, the bell-crank levers pivoted between said ears, a gravity-weight upon one arm of each of said bell-crank levers, the bearing-heads upon the other arm of said bell-crank levers, the spindle extending through said hub, mandrel and sleeve, the disk upon the forward end of said spindle, said disk extending in front of said bearing-heads, the post rising from the upper face of the plate and covering the steam-chamber, the elbow-crank pivoted in said post, connections as 12 and 12 pivoted one to each of the arms of said elbow-crank, the spindle secured in the connection 12, a collar mounted on the spindle near its rear end, the spring interposed between said collar and the rear face of the arm which rises from said plate, the valve-stem passing through a suitable stuffing-box in the upper end of the steamchamber, one end thereof being screwed in the connection 12 of the elbow-crank and the opposite end being screwed into the crosshead of the valve, the channel in the face of the valve-case, and the projection extending from the valve into said channel to prevent said valve from twisting, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- LLEIVELLYN PARKINSON.

Witnesses:

T. D. HUNGERFORD, MooK MORRIS. 

